Former Science Buildings, Olantigh Road, Wye, TN25 5EJ

demolition of former educational buildings and the redevelopment of the site to provide 11 family homes, together with access and landscaping

Authority: Ashford Borough Council
Appeal type: major · Planning Appeal
Procedure: Written Representations
Development: residential · Major dwellings
Inspector: Owen A

Main issues, as the Inspector framed them

the effect of the proposal on biodiversity
the effect of the development on the character and appearance of the area including the National Landscape
whether the development would provide a suitable mix of housing
whether the proposal would provide acceptable living conditions for its future occupiers in respect of the outdoor amenity space

What decided it

The inability to demonstrate that the development would not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the Stodmarsh Lakes European site due to unresolved concerns about the effectiveness of proposed nutrient mitigation measures.

The significant benefit of 11 homes during a housing land supply shortfall, together with benefits of brownfield reuse, economic benefits, and biodiversity net gain, did not outweigh the very substantial weight of the potential adverse impact on the integrity of the Stodmarsh Lakes European site.

Framework references: 11, 193, 194, 195

Plan policies cited: ENV1, WNP8, ENV9, SP1, SP6, HOU3a, WNP2, ENV3b, WNP1c, SP2, ENV4, HOU18, HOU15, ENV5

Read the decision letter on the Inspectorate’s site

The main issues and the deciding factor are read from the published letter by Town Planner Pro; the letter itself is the record. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Research, not advice.

What an account adds

Draw a red line around your site and the appraisal follows.

Heritage. Listed buildings by grade and distance, conservation areas, scheduled monuments, registered parks and gardens, heritage at risk.
Landscape and environment. Green belt, national parks and national landscapes, SSSIs, ancient woodland, SPA, SAC and Ramsar sites, nutrient catchments.
Flooding. Flood zones 2 and 3, surface water, and both again with climate change.
Transport. The 800 metre station catchment and service frequency, bus stops with their weekday frequency, the cycle network, and the Framework’s transport tests measured for the site.

Then the development plan position, the housing land supply as an Inspector last accepted it, and every appeal decided around the site with its letter.

Every English appeal since 2016, with the letter behind it wherever the Inspectorate published one. Searched by meaning as well as by words, with the key case law counted live across the letters.

Casework that chases the deadlines. Applications, appeals and conditions with their statutory dates.

The judgement stays yours. The tool gathers the material and dates it.